Apparatus for inverting bottles



R. H. DYER.

APPARATUS FOR INVERTING BOTTLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-29,1919- 1,73,604. Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

z 4 A 4 gmmmm @w RfH. DYER.

APPARATUS FOR INVERTING BOTTLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.29, 1919.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

N T S RALPH H. DYEB, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

urnna'rus non mvna'rmenor'rnns.

Application filed August 29, 1919. Serial No. 320,596. 1

To all whom it may concern.-

citizen of the United States,- and residing at Providence, county ofProvidence, and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Apparatus for InvertingBottles, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple, quick acting andefficient apparatus for inverting bottles or similar vessels which arehandled in large numbers and are placed in crates for transportation.The particular embodiment of the invention herein illustrated anddescribed is especially utilized in connection with bottle washingmachines in which milk bottles or similar bottles are washed in largenumbers. Botties of this character are almost universally handled incrates having partitions therein and arranged to contain one or twodozen bottles, one in each compartment. As they come from the washers orthe washing machine they areusually dropped into the crates in theirnormal position with bottom down 1 and open end up, and the rinsingwater flows down the walls of the bottle and is'retained therein. It isnecessary before the bottles are reused to invert them and drain out thewater therein gathered. To do this by hand involves considerablelabor-and danger of breakage. According to my invention the bottles areinverted one or twodozen at a time by simply placing a full crate and anempty crate on the bottle inverting machine,

and operating lever mechanism whereupon the bottles are transferred fromthe full crate to the empty crate and at the same-time inverted. Thecrate containing the inverted bottles may then be removed from thema;

' chine and stored until such time as they have completely dried out andare again ready for use. a V V a In the accompanying'drawings:

Figure-1' is a side elevation of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section along line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are reduced side elevations showing the variouspositions assumed by the moving parts of the machine and the cratesplaced thereon, in operation.

Specification of Lette rs Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

y The frame work may either be of wood or metal as desired and comprisesessentially uprlghts or legs 10 and horizontal members 11. I prefer toform one pair of uprights integral with the longitudinal horizontalmembers 11 as shown, but these members may be madev separately andsecured together 1f desired. Suitable horizontal braces are provided tohold the two parallel vertical frames in spaced relation and to therebyform a rigid structure. A bar 12 extends transversely between thehorizontal side members 11 and upon this bar is pivoted a platform 13 insuch manner as to be freely rotatablethereabout. This platform whichWlll hereinafter be designated the receiving platform 1s provided withflanges 14: around its outer edges and with arms 15 which extend atright angles to the base of the platform. A hanger 16 suspended from themembers 11 limits the rotatory movement of the platform in one directionby serving as a stop for the arms 15 and the horizontal cross-brace 17limits the rotatory movement of this platform in the opposite direction.As shown the bar 12 is located to one side of the center of the platformso that it will have no tendency to tip automatically because of its ownweight or when a crate of bottles is placed thereon.

Extending diagonally the opposite end of the platform, and horizontalmembers 11 are braces 18 between which extends a bar19 similar to andparallel with the bar 12. On this bar is pivoted a platform 20hereinafter designated the delivering platform which has arms'21extending laterally therefrom on the side toward the receiving platformand which also has aportion 22 extending at right angles thereto forsupporting the bottom of a crate when the'platform is in its inclinedposition as shown in Figs. 3, 4: and 6. The rotatory movement of thisreceiving platform is limited by a stop 23 extending between the legs 10inone direction, and in the other direction by the hanger 16.

In the operation of the device the two platforms are rotated toward andaway from each other and when rotated toward each other the maximumamount each platform has its projecting arms resting on member 16, thesets of arms 15 and 21 overbetween legs 10 at I lapping each other andlying parallel as shown in Fig. 2. In effecting a transfer and inversionof a crate of bottles a full crate of bottles with their mouths upwardis placed on the receiving )latform and an empty crate on the deliveringo lattorm in the positions clearly shown in Fig. 4. The deliveringplatform is then tipped until the arms 21 rest onthe hanger 16 in whichposition the open top of the empty box is in a vertical plane and facingthe receiving platform. The latter platform is then tipped or rotatedtoward the delivering platform until its arms 15 rest upon thehangcr'lG. The two crates are then exactly facing each other with thefull crate of bottles resting directly over the arms 21 of thedelivering platform. By rotating the delivering platform away from thereceiving platform the full crate of bottles is picked up by the arms 2iand carried upwardly leaving the receiving platform empty. When in itsfinal position the delivering platform is as illustrated in Fig. (3 withthe two boxes resting one upon the other with their open sides together,the bottles having slid downwardly into the lowermost box in which theyrest in inverted positions. The two boxes may then be removed from thedelivering platform and the operations repeated.

In order to accomplish this movement of the two platforms in a mostconvenient and expeditious manner I have provided suitable levermechanism. Rotatably mounted on the outer end of cross rod 19 is lever24. The outer end of this lever is connected by means of link 25 toportion 22 of the delivering platform and the inner end of the lever isconnected by means of link 26 to one of the arms '15 of the receivingplatform. A handle 27 is provided at the outer end of the lever 2-1 forconvenient-1y manually operating the device. As it is necessary that thedelivering platform he rotated to horizontal position before thereceiving platform is rotated to vertical position and that thedelivering platform be rotated to inclined position again before thereceiving platform be moved, a pin and slot connection is providedbetween the inner end of lever 24 and the link 26 as clearly shown inFig. 1. It can be seen that in moving the handle 27 (lO\\'l'lWilI(lly orupwardly the delivering platform is rotated as soon as the lever 24 ismoved. but that the receiving platform will not be moved until the pinhas reached either end of the pin and slot connection illustrated.

In the operation of the device a single attendant can rapidly invertmany dozen bottles in the time required to invert by hand acomparativelyfew bottles and without danger of breakage. The machine is simple, notliable to become damaged or inoperative even when subjected to hardusage, and is inexpensive to manufacture in the first instance.

It is obvious that the embodiment of the invention illustrated may bemodified and I do not limit myself to this exact form.

V hat is claimed is:

1. I ii apparatus of the class described, in combination, a frame, aplatform pivoted. to the frame adapted to receive an open endedreceptacle containing bottles, a second platform also pivoted to theframe at a point apart from the pivotal point of the first platform andadapted to support an open ended empty receptacle and lever mechanismsupported on the frame and connected to the respective platform, wherebythey may be rotated about their respective pivotal points to transferthe bottles from the first receptacle toj- 'the second andsimultaneously invert them.

2. In' apparatus-of the class described, in combination, a frame, aplatform pivoted to the frame adapted .to receive an open endedreceptacle containing bottles, a second platform also pivoted to theframe at a point apart from the pivotal point of the first platform andadapted to support an open ended empty receptacle, and lever mechanismconnecting said platforms adapted to be actuated to rotate the platformsabout their respective pivotal points to transfer the bottles from thefirst receptacle to the second and simultaneously invert them.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a

frame, a platform pivoted to the frame adapted to receive an open endedreceptacle containing bottles, a second platform also pivoted to theframe at a point apart from the pivotal point of the first platformadapted to support an open ended empty receptacle, a lever pivoted tothe frame and having a handle, links connecting; the platforms to thelever, the lever being adapted to be actuated to rotate the platformsabout their respective pivotal points to transfer the bottles from thefirst receptacle to the second and to simultaneously invert them. 4. Inapparatus of the class described, a frame, a platform pivoted to theframe adapted to receive an open ended receptacle containing bottles, asecond platform pivoted to the frame with its axis of rotation parallelto the axis of rotation of the first frame and lever mechanismconnecting said platforms adapted to tilt them toward each other whenactuated in one direction and to tilt them away from each other whenactuated in the opposite direction for the purpose set forth.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a frame, a platform pivoted tothe frame adapted to receive an open ended receptacle containingbottles, a second platform also pivoted to the frame at a point lowerthan the pivotal point of the first platform,

the axes of rotation of said platform being parallel, and levermechanism su ported on said frame connected to the plat orms, saidmechanisms being adapted to be actuated to rotate the platforms abouttheir pivotal points, for the purpose set forth.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a frame, a platformpivotedthereto and having arms extending at an angle thereto,saidplatform being to receive an open receptacle containin bottles, a secondlatform pivoted to the ame with its axle of rotation I parallel to theaxi of rotation of the first platform, said platform having arms on oneside thereof extending substantially at 15 other into a substantiallyvertical position 20 with their arms lying parallel, for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof I aflix m i ature.

I RALPH Hl D ER.

